Spring-clip.



E. H. COOPER.

SPRING CLIP.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 11, 191i.

1,017,249, Patented Feb. 13,1912.

a m1Imnmvmmmummmmum1 l mu m Inventor.

/fl idwa'n Cooper. witnessea FDWIN H. COOPER, OF LOS .ANGELES,CALIFORNIA.

SPRING-CLIP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 11, 1911.

Patented Feb. 13, 1912.

Serial No. 613,719.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWIN H. COOPER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State ofCalifornia, have invented new and useful Improvements in SpringClips, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in file holders and particularlyto the class of holders that are provided with spring clips or clampsfor holding bills, files or other matters in certain position.

It is an object of the invention to provide a bill holding means or filein which spring actuated clamps may be mounted upon a suitable backingin an improved manner.

It is also an object of the invention to secure a spring clamp to billholders on opposite sides of the back or support by means of cooperatingfastening means readily put in place.

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification Figure1 is a side elevation of a portion of a file carrying device showing thefile clips fastened thereto. Fig. 2 is a central view through the plateor base carrying the file clips, file clips being shown as appliedthereto upon the opposite faces thereof. Fig. 3 is a transversesectional view taken upon the line 3-3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 1 is a similarsectional view taken upon the line 4t of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a detail viewin elevation of one of the spring clamps secured to the back board ofthe mechanism.

The features of the invention will now be more specifically described indetail, reference being had to the accompanying illustration in which 5indicates a leaf or backboard or piece forming part of the file holdingmechanism and 6 spring pressed clips mounted upon said back 5 while 7indicates tab holders applied to the two clips for holding index tabsand the like. The tab holders 7 are preferably formed of broad plateshaving securing projections 14 struck up from the same at suitablepoints to engage the side boards 8 of the clamps 6 as shown in Fig. 1.The outer edges of the said tab holders 7 are turned or foldedinwardlyto form tab retaining flanges 15 behind which the tabs can beeasily slipped. The lower edge of each tab holder is provided with anextended portion 16 which is bent about the pivot rod 11 so as to have apivotal engagement therewith and thus be free to swing with the clamps6. The eye formed by bending the projections 16 around the pivot rod 11is also made of such length as to properly space the springs 9 apart.

It will be observed by reference to Figs. 2, 3 and 4 that theinter-locking adjacent pivot rods upon opposite sides of the back 5cooperate to hold the parts of the clamps on the opposite faces of theplates 5 in corresponding positions.

It will be understood that as many clamps 6 may be secured to theopposite faces of the plates 5 as desired and yet that each one isindividually secured by short pivot rods.

The structure is admirably adapted for accounting systems in whichleaves or hinged members are provided with a plurality of file clampsupon their faces as will be understood by reference to Fig. 1.

As above intimated, the clamps upon 0pposite faces of the back 5 can bereadily and easily secured to the plates by merely punching the holes 13therein and interlocking the pivot pins of the opposing clamps on theopposite faces of said back.

The mechanism of the present invention is particularly adapted to fileholders which are carried or used in plural numbers upon leaves or backswhich may be assembled to form an accounting system. The backs may bemade of any suitable material, preferably of thin sheet metal and havingsecured thereto the spring clips 6 which are usually bent from suitablematerial as spring wire to form broad bearing ends while the arms 8,thereof extend to the securing portions where coiled springs as 9 arearranged, the ends of the material beyond the coiled springs beingextended at 10 to provide bearing means for engaging the back 5. Theaction of the springs 9 is to holdv the clamp 6 against the plate 5 witha yielding pressure. The mounting of said clamps is an important featureof the present invention and preferably comprises short pivot rods as 11which are arranged to extend axially through the springs 9 and parallelwith the faces of the plate 5. One end of said pivot rod 11 ispreferably turned at an angle to the main portion thereof and passesthrough an aperture as 12 in the said back 5. The other end of the saidrod is usually secured in position by means extended through the backnear the opposite end of said rod. The means for securing the straightend of said pivot rods is preferably the bent end 12 of a similar pivotrod applied upon the other face of the back 5 and carrying a duplicateclamp 6 as Will be readily understood by reference to Figs. 2, 3 and 4of the drawing. The clips are thus readily and in a simple mannersecured to the opposite faces of the back, the bent ends 12 arepreferably inserted through the apertures 13 and bent into an eye aroundthe straight end of the opposing pivot rod for locating the tWo pivotrods in position upon opposite side of the back 5.

It has been common heretofore to secure adjacent clamps upon the sameside of a plate 12 With a continuous rod extending from one hingeportion to another of the clamps. By the present invention individualpivot rods are used for each clamp and the holes 13 for offering thesecuring of the same can be quickly and readily formed or punched in thebacks 5.

What I claim is l. A file clamp mechanism comprising a back, a clampframe having hinge engaging portions, and a hinge adapted to engage saidhinged portion and extending through the back together Withinter-locking securing means for holding said hinge in place.

2. A file mechanism comprising a clamp having springs formed thereon, apivot pin extending through said springs, a back for supporting the saidpivot pin, one end of said pivot pin being extended through the back,and a bar engaging said end and extending through the back at one pointfor. holding the said pivot pin in position.

8. A file holding clamp mechanism comprising a clamp, a pivot pinadapted to engage one end of said clamp for holding it pivotally inplace, and a locking bar arranged upon the other side of the back andadapted to extend through the same for locking the pivot pin inposition.

4:. A file mechanism comprising a back, clamps mounted on the oppositefaces thereof, and having coiled springs at their ends, interlockingpivot pins engaging said coiled springs, and extending through the saidback for holding both of said clamps in pivotal position.

5. A file mechanism comprising a clamp, having spring looped portionsformed thereon, a backing carrying said clamp, a pivot rod extendingthrough the loop portions for securing the same to the backing, a tabholder carried by the clamp and having a pivot pin engaging portion, thesaid portion being arranged to space the spring portions of the clamp asuitable distance apart.

In Witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my namethis 6th day of March, 1911.

EDWIN H. COOPER.

Witnesses EDMUND A. STRAUSE, EARLE R. POLLARD.

copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents.

Washington. D. G.

